Compacts are versatile in that they are convenient, functional and secure while also being visually appealing. The latter is an important feature in a retail environment. Cosmetic compacts are dimensioned to be held in one hand during use, and may be square, rectangular, oval, circular, or other regular or irregular shape. For illustration purposes, we embody the present invention as a type of compact wherein the width and depth of the compact are larger than the height of the compact. This type of cosmetic compact is relatively flat and planar, and easy to describe in terms of the current invention. Compacts of interest in this specification, generally comprise a base member and a cover member, that are capable of orienting with respect to each other, via a hinge or pivot mechanism. Without lose of generality, throughout the specification, “hinge” will refer to any type of connection that facilitates a relative rotation between members of the compact. Typically, the base and cover are molded of one or more plastics or formed of metal for a more upscale presentation, for example.
Bi-Fold Compacts
Throughout the specification, “bi-fold compact” refers to a compact having exactly two members that are capable of rotating with respect to each other, via a common hinge. A bi-fold compact typically includes a base member formed as a tray. The tray has one or more recesses and that is capable of holding one or more cosmetic materials. Also, the typical bi-fold includes a cover member hinged to the base member and overlaying the base member and cosmetic material. The cover reduces the occurrence of cosmetic dry-out, contamination or spill. Compacts of this type are suitable for storing powders, foundations, eye shadows, blushes, mascara, lip makeup and other products. One or more applicators or ancillary items may also be placed in the compact, between the base and cover. When the base-to-cover attachment is a hinge that has an elongated pin or axis, then the base and cover are attached along a straight edge that forms a portion of one side of the of the compact. On a side of the compact without the hinge (for example, the side opposite the hinge), a latch mechanism is sometimes provided to prevent the compact from opening inadvertently. The range of motion of the cover relative to the base is generally from 90° to 360°, although special hinge mechanisms are generally required for rotations approaching 270°. Bi-fold compacts that rotate at least 180°, may lie flat, which is sometimes an advantage, where stability is a factor. For example, sometimes an opened compact is top-heavy and the base placed on a surface will not lay flat when the cover is rotated beyond some tipping point. In this case, it may be convenient to “unfold” the compact and cause it to lie flat. Compacts which cannot lie flat on a surface, may therefore, be disadvantaged.
In a bi-fold compact, a mirror is often provided within the inwardly facing surface of the cover, so as to be visible by a user when the compact is open. A mirror, thus located in the cover, gives the user the option of holding the compact and mirror in one hand, while manipulating an applicator in the other hand, as opposed to placing the compact on a surface. This is a significant convenience for the user, because if a separate handheld mirror is used, then the user has three items to manipulate with only two hands. It is also advantageous that the mirror can rotate with respect to the base, so that an optimal configuration can be achieved for manual manipulation. One disadvantage of the mirror-in-cover arrangement is that, even when the cover is see-through, the interior of the compact cannot be viewed, because the mirror is in the way. Also, oftentimes, a user wants to use the mirror, but not the product. When the mirror is mounted in the cover, the cover must remain opened and the product exposed, subjecting it to dry-out, contamination or inadvertent contact. Therefore, mirrors mounted in the cover member of a compact are further disadvantageous.
To overcome these mirror-in-cover disadvantages, some bi-fold compacts comprise a third member that is capable of sliding with respect to the base member and/or cover member. For example, US patent 2004-0221866 discloses a bi-fold compact having a “drawer” slidably supported inside a base. The drawer can translate toward the inside and toward the outside of the base, but cannot rotate with respect to the base. A mirror is disposed in the drawer, rather than the inside of the cover, which has the advantage of permitting a see-through cover and allowing the mirror to be used even when the cover is closed, but the disadvantage of not being able to rotate the mirror with respect to the base. A slide-out member may provide an advantage in stability of the compact. As noted above, some compacts tip over when the cover is rotated beyond a tipping point. But a drawer or tray that slides out from the base, provides an effectively larger base and may prevent the compact from tipping. Thus, compacts without slide-out members in the base may provide an advantage in the design of the compact.
To overcome the see-through problem, while still having the mirror mounted in the cover, U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,438 describes a bi-fold compact having a mirror that is slidably mounted inside the cover. The sliding mirror is in one position prior to sale (allowing a view through a window in the cover) and is moved to another position by the purchaser, prior to use. While this compact has a see-through cover (at least some of the time) mirrors mounted in the cover member of a compact can be disadvantageous. As discussed above, oftentimes, a user wants to use the mirror, but not the product. If the mirror is mounted in the cover, then the cover must remain opened and the product exposed.
Tri-Fold Compacts
Cosmetic compacts with three pivoting members are also known. With three members, and one or two hinges, various configurations are possible.
For example, one class of tri-fold compact has three members that pivot with respect to each other, via two hinges. In this case, we can define a base member and two outer members. The base member has two hinges separated along different portions of its perimeter. Each separate hinge connects the center member to one of the outer members. Examples of this kind of compact are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,848 (FIG. 10) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,640. One feature of this kind of arrangement is that the compact may lie flat (all three members lying flat, in the same plane, simultaneously), when both outer members are sufficiently rotated away from their closed positions. As discussed above, the ability of a compact to lie flat can be advantageous and compacts which cannot lie flat on a surface, may be disadvantaged.
In another form of tri-fold compact, any two members are hinged to a third member along the same edge of the third member, such that, the compact opens and closes like a book. (See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,126,145; 5,107,871; US2006-0005853 and US2006-022164). This type of tri-fold compact cannot be made to lay flat, as defined above and, therefore, is disadvantaged. The cover member may be see-through, but this only affords a view of the member immediately adjacent the cover, which is not always the product. When the product is in the member further from the cover, the product would not be visible, even with a see-through cover, because of the intervening member. This is the case in the '145, '871 and '853 references. In the '164 reference, the product is adjacent the cover, but a mirror is positioned on the inside of the cover member, thereby negating a see-through cover. Also, here again, if a user wants to use the mirror, but not the product, the cover must remain opened and the product exposed, subjecting it to dry-out, contamination or inadvertent contact. In compacts of this type, the first two members cannot move completely independently of each other, because the rotate in the same path. This may limit the number of useful configurations that a compact may assume.
Packaging Issues
Cosmetic compacts, whether bi-fold or tri-fold, are sometimes packaged in a manner that allows customers to view the contained cosmetic material, without exposing the material to contamination. Accordingly, the compact may be sealed in a transparent plastic film, e.g., in a blister package, with the cover opened and rotated 180° with respect to the base, so that the base an cover lie flat. A problem with this type of packaging, however, is that the volume of the packaging is ordinarily about twice as large as it otherwise would be. This increases the expense of packaging, increases waste and consumes shelf space. Also, the blister pack can significantly detract from the visual presentation of the product.
One method of alleviating this problem is to package the compact in a closed configuration and provide a means for viewing the cosmetic material through the closed cover, either with a window or by making the cover transparent. Methods of doing this and their advantages and disadvantages were discussed above.
Another method of reducing the size of blister packaging is to provide the compact with a special articulated hinge that enables the cover to rotate 360°, into a position underlying the base. (See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,820.) However, such hinges tend to be more structurally complex and more expensive to implement than conventional hinges. The 360° hinge may also be less stable during use, because the cover in the opened position does not rest against a stop, as it does when more conventional hinges are used.
It is also known to make compacts with completely removable trays (for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,605,167 and 6,002,651), hermetic seals (for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,842,486 and 6,199,559), transparent covers or covers with windows or lenses (for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,227,208; 6,769,438 and 2004/0221866), snap-off covers to prevent breakage if rotated too far (for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,838), and interior lighting (for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,145). Compacts according to the present invention may be equipped with any of these features.
Of the references cited above, no one reference nor any combination thereof discloses a single cosmetic compact that features all of the following: a base, a hinged cover capable of rotating with respect to the base; a mirror that is capable of translation and rotation with respect to the base, via a selective rotation mechanism; a cover that is fully see-through or any portion thereof; a mirror whose size is not affected by the see-through cover and whose position does not depend on the position of the cover; a compact in which the mirror or cover can be kept out of way when not needed, i.e. the mirror can be used while the cover is closed and the product not exposed; a compact that can be conveniently held in the hand during use or placed on a surface; a compact that can achieve a stable, useful A-frame configuration (see below) or can lie flat; a compact that can extend the base for added stability to reduce the likelihood of tipping; a compact wherein stored auxiliary items are visible or hidden; a compact which can be sold in a blister-type package without the disadvantages discussed above.